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12/20/2010

The Disruptor

"Clearly the sword is the most noble weapon a fighter may carry," opined Fenorian the Younger. "And quite effective, as man-slayers go."

"Give me an adequately charged disruptor and a good, sharp finisher," replied Jaramal the Gat-Toothed, "and I will fell any swordsman. Real or hypothetical."

Disruptor concept sketch

Description

The disruptor is a club-like, magical implement designed to render a foe helpless. When its wielder expends a charge and makes a successful (touch attack) hit, the disruptor sends a shockwave through the victim's body that effectively paralyzes him/her/it for 1d6 rounds (if the save is failed.) A standard disruptor can hold up to three charges.

Rarity
Disruptors are not typically offered for sale. These are heirlooms -- the property of armigerous families. In this sense the disruptor is a potent symbol of status among fighting men.

Fighting Style

Typically the disruptor is used in conjunction with a finishing weapon (finisher) -- usually a dagger or hand axe. The finisher delivers the coup de grace after the disruptor has rendered its target paralyzed. Most fighters consider it in bad taste to actually kill their foes with the disruptor itself, as if the implement is above the business of slaying. However, if worse comes to worse, the disruptor is heavy enough to do 1d6 points of damage per successful hit.

Recharging

In order to replenish the disruptor's charges it must steep for several hours in a fracture pool.* One charge is regained per hour of steeping. Excess time will have a deleterious effect on the disruptor's charge capacity. For every hour spent in excess of time needed to charge, a steeping disruptor has a 10% chance of reducing its charge capacity by one.